Beneficial Situation?
by Agatha2460
Summary: A shower, A kiss, An unlocked door, A questionable relationship. Chloe/Barney S15.
1. Part 1

After re-watching many series of Casualty and just now finishing on series 15 I have rediscovered my love for Chloe & Barney. So I thought I would get my mojo working and write a shot fic about them. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated as always. I'd also like to thank Fran (from HTV) for the beta job you have done on both parts of this, it is hugely appreciated.

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"Chloe, can you give Barney a hand in cubicle 7?" Holly called down the hall while trying to simultaneously listen to the vitals Penny was reeling off to her for the patient lying on the gurney.

Nodding Chloe meandered her way through the hallways of the casualty department before finally ending up in a very overcrowded cubicles. She hurriedly made her way through the sea of people into number 7 to be greeted by a group of guys all laughing along with each other about the fight they had just been in, as Barney stitched up the right cheek of the lad on the bed.

"Oi oi," one of the lads called while he boldly ogled Chloe from head to toe, "now what's a pretty lass like you doing in a place like this?"

Barney stopped stitching momentarily, "C'mon lads, keep the comments to yourself… Chloe, this is Dan," he said gesturing to the boy on the bed.

Smiling appreciatively at Barney, Chloe started to clean the other wounds on the patient's face. She always could rely on him to protect her honour no matter what the situation. Barney had always acted selflessly when it came to her, not caring what the consequences could end up like for him; more often than not being to his detriment. To him, she was worth it.

Being the people person she was, Chloe finished up with the wounds and looked curiously down at Dan, "If you don't mind me asking Dan, what were you fighting about?"

"My meat… Some punk-ass thought he could take it away from me," he spat, as his mates all jeered at the thought.

A look of confusion flitted across Chloe's face, "Your meat?"

Dan nodded, "Yeah, my meat. My girl, Millie. Ain't no one gonna make a pass at her and not feel the consequences!"

"Your meat!?" Chloe repeated, as if she'd heard him wrong. There was nothing worse, in her eyes, than a guy thinking that he owned a woman as if he were superior. She could feel her veins boiling as molten blood rushed throughout her body, whilst she lamely tried to control her temper.

Another lad who was standing next to Dan piped up, "Yeah… Tell you what love, you're a nice bit of meat and all," before swiftly smacking her bum.

Chloe's mouth dropped as she swiftly turned to confront the boy while his friends all laughed encouragement, "Who raised you, 'ey? What right do you have to come in here, after we help your friend, and do that?"

"Got a bit of a gob on you," the boy continued, clearly enjoying how easily he could wind up the nurse before him. He stepped forward and looped an errant curl of hair behind Chloe's ear, "Always did like me meat with a bit of spunk."

This was the last straw. Chloe promptly slapped him as Barney hurried around to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind in an attempt to stop her hitting him again. She continued to shout abuse at the group of sneering guys, turning heads of staff and patients, as Barney fought to pull her out of the cubicle and through the double doors at the back of the department into the staff shower cubicle.

"Chloe… Cool it."

"You cool it!" she retorted, continuing to struggle against his grip.

Barney pulled her under the shower and rapidly turned it on as cold as it would go. As the water hit the top of their heads Chloe squealed and instantly thrashed about more intensely, intent on getting the upper hand. It continued to soak their bodies and slowly she relaxed into his arms, leaning into his chest as she allowed herself to calm down and even out her breathing.

Through shallow breath she muttered, "Thank you."

Barney immediately loosened his grip as he heard those words escape her lips. Bad idea. She spun around pinning his arms by his sides on the cool tiled wall. Despite being strong enough to stop her, Barney stood ready to take whatever flack she needed to vent.

Chloe brought her mouth up to the side of his head so her breath lightly tickled his ear, "Don't ever, ever do this to me again!"

Barney smiled innocently, water trickling down his skin, as she pulled her head back stopping so her face was mere inches from his. That grin was the exact grin he'd given her when they escaped into the ladies toilet for a quick kiss earlier that day. Then, they had decided that they didn't want a real boyfriend girlfriend relationship; more of a 'friends with benefits' kind of situation. Oh yes, she knew that grin all too well and spoke with a daring tone, "Don't even think about it Barney…"

He ignored her feeble threat and smirked a little to himself when she didn't try to pull away as he moved his face a little closer to hers, allowing his breath to skim her lips. Taking this as a positive sign, he gently moved closer again – lingering to give her an escape, if she wanted it - before capturing her lips in his for a soft kiss.

A few moments passed before Chloe eventually eased away; a slight smile pulling at her lips. She was now practically leaning against Barney, her arms casually draped around his neck as their eyes spoke lengths to each other. Without speaking another word, Chloe closed the shower curtain behind them. She intrepidly turned to face Barney once again and they took a step towards each other, only to meet in the middle in a fiery kiss during which hands fled to shirt bottoms in a frenzy to locate the soft skin hiding beneath them.

No doubt remained in their minds to hinder them from reaping the benefits as they both failed to register that the door behind the curtain was unlocked.


	2. Part 2

"Anna, have you seen Chloe and Barney?" Holly called as she made her way back into cubicles, "I'm sure I asked them to stitch up and discharge the lad in 7."

Nodding Anna replied, "They were with him, until his egotistical friends decided to hit on and then wind up Chloe... Barney took her out the back to let her cool down."

"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe…" Holly murmured, unsurprised by this revelation, "Could you go and find them please and tell them both to go and plaster the kid in nine's wrist?"

"Sure."

Hastily filing the patient record she held, Anna made her way out of the double doors at the back of the department. Knocking before she poked her head into each of the two On Call rooms she found nothing but thin air and an eerie silence in them. She turned around ready to look elsewhere when she walked past the staff shower cubicle and saw a fine mist of steam seep from under the doorframe.

Again she knocked before opening the door a crack, "Chloe?"

No reply came so Anna opened the door a crack further and peered in to find Barney's and Chloe's shoes and odd items of scrubs outside the shower curtain. She couldn't help but smirk to herself as she stepped inside and forged her best stern face while clearing her throat very loudly. The two faint outlines behind the curtain froze.

A smile quickly stole over Anna's face despite her attempts at a stern facade. Chloe and Barney were busted and they knew it. Tapping her foot like an impatient mother waiting for a child, Anna crossed her arms over her chest as Chloe popped her head around the side of the curtain, trying to put on her innocent face.

Anna watched as Barney's shadow crept to the other side of the curtain and stuck his head out before she said, gleefully smirking, "Busted!"

Although hopeless, Chloe still attempted to squirm her way out of the situation, "Anna, it's not what you think…"

"Really?" Barney retorted, as both Anna and he raised their eyebrows in surprise; wondering how deep she could dig a hole for herself this time.

Chloe whacked Barney in the arm causing him to flinch a little while she stared at him in an attempt to make him play along, "Yeah really… Barney put me under the shower to cool me down after that guy decided to provoke me..."

Disbelievingly Anna nodded her head. She wasn't buying it and Chloe knew it, "So your clothes just, y'know, fell off then… Or did the shower fairy take them?"

"Okay… Okay…" Chloe reluctantly replied, defeated. She knew Anna would have a field day with this piece of gossip, especially as she was the first to know, "It is what you think. Happy now you got your gossip?"

The grin across Anna's face was all the response needed, "When you two are finished playing 'grab arse', Holly wants you both in cubicle 9 to plaster up a kids wrist."

"Fine," Chloe irritatingly answered, rolling her eyes and whipping the curtain shut as Anna softly chuckled to herself on the way out.

Barney lent against the tiled wall smirking at Chloe. She couldn't see how he could be so cool about the situation when Anna was well known for being the biggest gossip in the department. Truth be told, he didn't care. He wanted the world to know that he was with Chloe, even if it was a 'friends with benefits' relationship.

"Don't worry about it Chloe…" Barney commented in his Scottish drawl while pulling on his semi-dry scrubs trousers, "if she tells people it doesn't matter."

Chloe mirrored his actions, "It does matter… If she lets it slip, which let's face it she will, then people are going to get the wrong idea about us."

That last comment hit Barney's heart like a hot poker; but he didn't show it. Showing how he truly felt would mean the end of their little agreement and quite possibly their friendship as well. He knew that if he were to ever tell her how he truly felt, she would turn and bolt for the exit. So for now, this situation would have to do.

"Well we can put them straight; we're just friends. Always have been, always will be."

Barney slipped on his trainers and stepped toward Chloe, placing a hand on her abdomen and splaying his fingers across her exposed skin before placing a simple kiss on her cheek. As he opened the door he hesitated before leaving, "Your place or mine tonight?"

Chloe smiled, "Yours. I'll be round at 8."

As the door shut behind Barney Chloe put her head in her hands, trying to rid her brain of the thoughts it had created. Despite their agreement she wanted nothing more than to be able to say that she and Barney were together. She spited herself for saying some of the things she had just said when she had in fact wanted the complete opposite. If she were to ever speak those words though, it would be the end of their agreement and quite possibly their friendship. So for now, the situation would have to do.

Yes, the situation was not to be questioned and never to be resolved.


End file.
